Exterior bomb container



5 Sheets-Sheet l H. J. BIONDI EXTERIOR BOMB CONTAINER EH.: -Heine.. om D :il ifim7 MN vk mK NA WML.

" QN mw May 10, 1949.

Filed Nov. 5, 194s l. l LL.

BY HARRY J. B10/vof A W 13% @im May 10, 1949. H. J. BIONDI 2,469,363

vEXTERIOR BOMB CONTAINER Filed Nov. 5, 1943 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 kw Nw hm. vm.

INVENTOR HARRY H. J. BIONDI EXTERIOR BOMB .CONTAINER May l0, 1949.

5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Nov. 5, 1945 A lNvENToR HARRY J. B/ON Flc. 7.

May 10, 1949. H, B|0ND| 2,469,363

EXTERIOR BOMB CONTAINER Filed Nov. 5, 1945 5 SheetS-Shee'c 4I BY HARRY .1. alo/vol May 10, 1949. H. J. BIONDI EXTERIOR BOMB CONTAINER 5 sheets-snaai 5 Filed Nov. 5, 1943 INVENToR HRRYJ. BON

ATTORNEY Patented May 10, 1949 vU NITED S fi S TENT i" OFFICE '(Granted `under the act of March 3, 1883, as

amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) 6 Claims.

The' present .invention relatesI to exterior bomb containers whichare preferably carried exterorly beneath bombing aeroplanes, and usually-byfone point` oi'suspension-on a bomb rack mounted on the plane.

lAnlarrangement of parts is provided herein which'will operate `when it-is desired to dump or trip the Whole container'and its` contents as a unit. This. `feature is common to other vtypes oi 'bomb-containers in that the container is prefer,- ablyattached at a single point of suspension to a-,bomb ,rack-which is attached 'to the body of an aeroplane. v:Vi/Then ,it is desired to discharge the container as a Whole, mechanically operated Icables within reach of the aviatorcan be .used to` operate thebomb rack and immediately disengage the whole-,container and .its load of bombs from .the aeroplane.

,In some types ofy bomb containers the release ofthe bombsfthereinis accomplished by a mechanical, device Ywhich is usually. manually controlled.` and `operated from an operating device Wthinfeasy reach of the 4occupant of the areoplane. In other.y types ofA containers the bombs are-.released bya push-button or other electrical device also-Within easy reach ci the occupant of the .plane The present invention isy of the former or mechanically operated and" actuated type. The modus operandi of the present type of invention will-,befully explained in this specification.

.-The.presentybomb container comprises a metal shellzimuch :ina :the shape of a normally `closed cylinder.havingebullet-nosed front and rear ends, and.-;provided with two `pairs of swinging hinged doors mounted beneath the container. vOne of thefieatures of thepresentinvention is an arrangement of` partsvvhich` isdesignated thedoor locking 1 and releasing -mechanism, which -upon proper vactuation vretracts the locking latches whichy :normally hold the doors of the bomb containeriin closed .position within the exterior outline oi the .container in order to avoidwind resistanceas is at onceunderstood After the door latches: are :withdrawn as Will be described, the doorsfof the containerl are-iree-to drop open by gravitydue -to the load of bombs which they carry upon them.

'Assoonas all the bombs have been discharged fromthe. container'springs preferably located on the hinges 'of the doors act to close thesame, and theautomatic means provided on the ,doorV locking and releasing mechanism reverses the rst operation ofthe latter, andthe locking latches 2 are automatically replaced in r.eI-1g.glirilent..with the doors andl securely lock. them untilagain released by theaviator.` The details of .thisdoor locking and releasing mechanism w-ill .be-specifically explained at lengthhereinaften and is a one of iheirnajor' elements of thoinveniion- The Container .in y.nandfisndirided. internally into two compartments, rforwardand aft,and each compartment is larranged torelease allthe bombs Ycarried therein irrjone Vgroup or simultaneously. A11` theffbombs .in the second comcontinent may heroicas@ mediatolraiter vtno rst .actionfor @an :be 'corrie indeiin-itelyiatythe option of the .operator the .fp1ane. Inother Words, each groupy of bombs in the two container compartments is Yusually freleasod discharged by separate individual mechanical .actguations through the door locking and releasing mechanismofy the invention, r@is-will be ,describedniully hereinafter. However, arrangements may. .be made ordischarging both compartments. simultaneously. Other -featuresof the device in hand will be explainedas thedescription proceeds.

1n the accompanying. drawings .forming-:nari 0f.` ihn-present spieoiiicationr Fig.;1 is a side s elevationoian exterior bomb container, andthe .means. used for .mounting same on van aeroplane, and means for mechani-v cally operating Ifand; releasing .bombs froml the container, Withthe associated parts of theaeroplane being. shown in diagrammaticprphantom form,

Fig. 2 is a partial horizontal.longitudinalview of the bomb container taken online v2-2 o f Fig. 1, .showing-levers and connecting rods associated with the unlatching or releasing Vof the .drop .doors of the container,

Fig. 3 is a ,transverse crossfsectional. .view through thebomb container taken online v3.-?, oi.` Fig. l, showing the container `doors Ain open position in vdotted lines,

Fig. 4. 4is la partial verticalsectional- View :taken on the line ll-.JLof- Fig.y -5 fis a; partial horizontal section. o the container taken on linev of Fig. 4,

Eig. V6 is .afvertical cross-sectionalsview-ftaken on linelG-. of Fig. llfshowing thelateh-lever and container supporting yoke details,

Fig. 7 is a detail vertical sectional viewvofithe latch per se takenonV line 7 1; ofvFig. 6,

Fig. 8 is a vertical partial .cross-seetionnl AView taken. 011. lino` .3.-3oi Eis-..1.Showing the end .e1e.

rational .details oitnobombraok. .connections of v the container, and'levers and brackets used ythere-y i ztion. The ynumeral 2 indicates in diagrammatic form the wing and associated parts of .an aero,-

vplane. Numeral 3 shows ythe position yof vthe :,aviator; 4 isar bomb container operating dev1ce,

which is connected by cable or lanyard with'the mechanical devices 1,8 which actuates the parts of the present invention which are arrangedr Within the bomb container. "The cable' 6 rop-y erates the bomb rackr 9, ywhich in turn unshackles thecontainer I at the point'offsuspenr I' y sion I0, when it is desired to-'freefthe whole ycon-y tainer entirely from the'aercplane in case of emergency.r The bomb rack Sisa iwell known standard type of device which is .noty a novel .part of the present invention.'v f y y v'The presenty type of bomb container is actum Figs. 4 rand '7, normally hold the doorsr I2,':I3`4y within the outline of the containerI andfsaid latches are spring-pressed intoy extended or lookynog position, Fig. 4, by means of holding springy 4I] mounted on lthe pintle 4I. Spring r48 has a portionr at 42 in engagement withv the latch-lever f 43 and another portion in engagement with pintles 44, '44 ywhich carry the-'rollers v45, 45, .f

Figs. 4 and 6 ofthe drawings. The latch 39 engagesy beneath part 45, on the doors I2 and I3 and thus holds the doors iny rclosed positions, thev f latches on bothendsof the doors as seen from v Fig. 4 being necessary to accomplish the purpose f mentioned. i

' The bent latch lever 43 ras seen from Figs. 6 f and 4ls pivotally mounted at 41 as a fulcrum inr the opposed braclret angles 48, 48, which arecarried onr theend ywall 43 of the compartment I8.

ated and operated entirely by mechanical .parts in distinction from electrically operated vand acy tuated types of bomb containers. f i f The container I, herein, comprises a drum or shell II,*preferably of metaLfprovided with a plurality of yopposed drop doors I2, I3 etc. hinged rThe upper end 5I) of latch lever 43 isr also'piv'f` otally attached yat point 5I. tothe horizontally disposed connecting rod 52. The latter rod 52 is pivotally connected to they short lever arm 53,'at point 54, which last 'isi integral with vthe hub 55,

: and short lever arm 53 of Figs. 2, 3 and 8 as shown.

at I4, I5 to the shelll I I, of said-container, and

adapted to swingi downwardly by gravity to take v f the positions I 6 I1 shown dotted in Fig. 3 of the The container I comprises vtwo corn-kr drawings. partlnents I8, I9fboth'of ywhich aresymmetrically *',arranged about the `center line 20 of the con-y tainer, Fig. 4. The mechanical parts ofthe container in both 'compartmentsv I8, I9 are substanf l tially alike, asr will be seen 'as the specic descrip#- tion proceeds herein. l v

Asv the chambers I8, I9 are substantially alike,

sufce for both halves of the bomb container.

The interior arrangement of the container is readily understood from Figs. 3, 4, 5 of the drawings. The shell II`, has a horizontally disposed top division wall 2 I, and vertical division walls 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 all connected together, as shown in Fig. 3 and supported on the walls of container I. The doors I2, I3 are provided with horizontal parts 21, 28 properly supported by the subdivision walls 29, 30, 3I, 32, and those parts provide the closure for the container I, upon which rest the load of bombs such as 33, 34, etc. The bombs 33, 34, etc. as seen in Fig. 3 are piled in the chambers formed by the walls 22 to 25 inclusive. The compartments I8 and I9 each are provided with bungee cords which are resilient, each with two substantially perpendicular branches 35, 31, and a horizontal portion 38. Vertical walls 22-26 have slots 35a in which bungee cords 35 slide. The container I, is inverted when being loaded with bombs so the doors I2, I3 are on the top, and as the bombs 33, 34 are pla-ced in the chambers the bungee cord is placed in tension as is readily understood and seen from Fig. 3 clearly. It is also evident that when the doors I2, and I3 are unlatched from the locking latches, 39, 39a, Fig. 4 they will be operated upon by gravity, and swing downwardly on hinges I4, I5 Fig. 3, and take positions indicated at I6, I1; and all the bombs in the container are then at once dropped or discharged therefrom by gravity, as well as by the action on the bungee cord 35 on the top of the bombs, which cord being under tension tends to shorten itself, and thus insure the complete expulsion of all the bombs in the container. It will be seen that the locking latches 39, 39a,

The yhub 55 is rotatably mountedy on the vertical pintle 5l, which in turn is carriedin bearing 58, f

on the top of horizontal division wall 2| of the container, and in bearing 53 formed in a recess dll in the top-'most portionv of the metal'shell II ofthe container I- A lock-nut 6I secures the upper end of pintle 51 against play or movement,

and 'a cover plate 62 is used to coverthe said gpintle andflo-clr-nut as shown clearly in Figs. 3 and 4. f

the vdescription of the parts ofone chamber will L The cover-plate 152 is also usedas fa. bearing plate forv holdingthe bomb ,container in longitudinal alignment, in conjunction with the supporting device or hookv r625 which supports the containerat point Hl by means of the enclosing metal band 63, and its upstanding lugs 64, 64. The tooth or hook 65 is part of the bomb rack 3, which is a well known device and not a part of the present invention as before mentioned herein. From the bomb rack 9 also extends downwardly a vertically positioned holder 56 having a pair of opposed arms, 61, 61 which bear against the cover plate 52 with a reasonable amount of holding pressure but is not attached to the cover plate nor bomb container I at these points. It is of course apparent from Fig. 1 that there are two mechanical holding devices 66, forward and aft of the container, which cooperate with the central point of suspension devices at point I0.

The devices 1 and 8 each comprise two bent arms 68, 69, and a vertical portion '10, the latter being fastened to the aeroplane at points 1I 1I. In the devices 1 and 8 also are found rotatable vertical rods 12, 12 the upper end of which can be rotated by means of cable 5 by the aviator. The lower end of rod 12 is provided with a rigidly mounted outwardly extending bent arm 13. On the pintle 51 is rigidly mounted an outwardly extending and operating arm 14 on which is carried an upstanding pin 15, adapted to engage a U-shaped recess in the end of arm 13 but not positively, and only slidably engaged therewith. The inner end of arm 'I4 it is seen will revolve the hub 55 and with it the short levers 53 and operate connecting rod 52. The device 8 and lever 13 then can actuate the hub 55 and connecting rod 52. In case of a discharge of the whole bomb container it is quite evident as soon as the container is cut loose or freed from the plane at point I0 (Fig. 1) the arms 13 are slidably disengaged from pins 5 'I' and the *whole bomb rack' can be' dropped' as' auiiitffroxnthe-lplane;

v:Itisevident"froml Fig. 2 that when lever' arm "M"'i's-i'riovedic'lbck'w'ise,y connecting. rod' 52a, latch-v lever 'affandflatch 39a will be'operated, and" the latter .retracted -andriree'd from the part 46a. And by thef's'ame actuationof'leve'vam T4 andsimubtaneoslytherewith the'connectin'girod 52; latch-'- lever' '43" and'lat'ch' 3'9" willl be operatedl andthe latter r'e'tract'edfand freed from the'part 46'. Both these'v latches' 39 and 3%: being thusA retracted the doors It" and' It' areacted uponK by" gr'avity andv drop open; Yand discharge all` the bombs in compartment' I8.

"With" regard` toltheoperation of the latch t9, it is clear from what has beensaid't-hatas soon asconnectingr'od 52 is operated towards'th'e left (Fig. 2);-'b'yvthe aviator,-that bent latch-levers fii'arfe thrown-tothe rightfor'n a'retracting direction at their lower ends,` with reference to latches 3dr-andthe doors I 2,: yI-S'are free tofall by gravity and the` load ofbornbs completely discharged from-- the bombJ container.

Itfrisnoted` that spring "lo on' rod 52 yis compressed by thef actions just-described. v InA connection rwith the connecting rods 52, itfisevidentfthe spring To (which abuts against adjustablecollar- Il 'ont-he rod 52,'-and al-so a'buts against anglev*Iii-carried onthe angle 'ItA of the container framework) will automatically actuatethe'rod .'ihtoward the right as seen in the* rig-ht side of- Figi 2- after an unl-atching-operation hasfbeenperformed-by theaviator. As soon'as thefconnecti-ngqrod' 52de moved to the right-the top othelatch-lever tv at point 5I- also -movestof theright'as seen from Fig-4f, and the bottom ofgsaid latch-lever moves in theoppositedirec;v tion since the lever is pivoted onf-fulcrum 41. Thisaction throw-s thelatch- 39` into engagement withthe part llii.4 (if the doors I2 and I3 in the meantime have-been lifted' toa closed position) and-locksfsaid'doors sogthey are within the outline ofthe bomb containerysince thisis--importa'nldue -to the 'high rate of speed1 ofy theaeroplane as is at once understood. Y

The-.method ci raising the doors I2, I3 from their opened positions I5, Il respectively, to closed positions will bedescribed below.

yIn the above casewe see that it was the device l, Fig. l", which openedforward compartment I8 of the container I. It isv also equally evident that vthe device' 8; Fig. 1;'will'operate to open aft compartment I9 of said container.

If ga second cable similar to cable 5 is used' tov op'ei'atefdevice', 'and cable -5 is used only vio'r device' l, 'itis clear that thev bombs in compartments' I8 and i9"mfay` be'disch'arged 'in sequence, or in simultaneous order, or one compartment may be used and the other withheld or reserved to any desired later time for discharge purposes.

If the two devices 'I and 8 are connected by a rod 5a or if cable 5 is attached to device 8 and also to device 1, it is evident all the bombs in both compartments may be simultaneously discharged. Or if it is desired to drop the whole container and bombs therein, it is evident the cable 6 can accomplish this by the use of the bomb rack 9 and the connection at point IIJ, Fig. 1.

It is believed hardly necessary from what has been said to further explain the similarity of the parts in the two compartments I8 and I9, of container I.

In connection with the raising of the doors l2, I3 from positions I6, I'I respectively shown in Operation .Assuming that the container i' has been 'loaded with bombs' and rioun'tedv onthebombrack', Fig. l', afd the aviator is 'ready 'to drop the 'bombs from' Compartment I8 of the' oonl'jarier; the 1anya'rd or cable 5 is operated'whichoperates device 8,1 and? itsu bent. lever` arm" 13;. and thev operating arm 1741 This' operatesthe'two latch-levers 43, anc'sz., andlat'ches-sef andsea; Fig. 4, and releases doors I2` and I'S.- YThe'wei'ght of the pluralityofy thelibornbs overcomes' springs Sil, Sllthe' bungee cord '35 a'ssistslinthis operatiomend' the load of vbombs-drop 'romfsaid compartment'- I8. Alsv soon as springs 8B, S'clo'se'th'e' doors I2, I3', the-operator then flets goy of the-levers which operated-cable 5; and'fthesprings 7S, 'Iiiagac't to again lock the doors I2', l'3`an`d by meansof the latches -39 andl'c. Ifftheaviator has l'etg'o of the handle before the doorsclose, the doors will slamlshut and pu'shlthe 'slidinglatches 39 b'acll:- against-.the action of` springs" asis clear from.. Fig; 7. Ifit'Y is .desired .todisch'arge bombs in bothcompartmentsat once devices 'Il and S'must be linkedlt'ogetherfby a` rod or'cable 5a orotherwise" connected together, so thatv both act simultaneously. If the compartments It and I9 are to be operatedlin sequence then the cord 5a, must be actuated Iseparately from. cord 5, and attached todevic'e'sothat T and B' will`operateseparately and independently' as is at once seen.

` rThe opera-tion of bomb rack 9` is not required-to ,be described in detail, since it is' not' part ofthe present invention, and its co-ac'tion between an .aeroplane and a bomb container is not novel.

Fr'orn which' iti is se'en that I have produced a no'v'el" bomb 'container designed' to accomplish the-purposes set out in" this' specification'.

' invention describedhere-in maybe manufactured andus'ed by or' for the" Government of theriite'dStates' of' America for governmental vpurfposes'iiitl'out thepayment of' any royalties thereon 'or therefor.

l' l'. In a' bomb container, a normally closed contaire-ir comprising a metal; 'shell' having a-A horicontar division wail' and apair of end'walls thereon Within the container, a pair of opposed doors hinged on the bottom of the container, means for positively locking and releasably holding said doors in a closed position, comprising a pintle mounted on the top of the horizontal division wall, a short lever revolvably mounted on the pintle, means for operating the short lever mounted on the pintle, a pivotally mounted latchlever on the said end wall of the container, means connecting the short lever and the upper end of the latch-lever, a door latch carried by the said end division wall in slidable engagement with the lower end of the latch-lever, for the purpose of releasing the said doors, automatic means for operating the latch-lever in a reverse direction in order to lock the door latch in connection with said doors, after a bomb discharging operation has been performed, and automatic means in engagement with the doors for closing same after a discharge of bombs, and adapted to cooperate with the locking latch, to positively lock said doors within the body outline of the container.

2. In a mechanically actuated and operated bomb container, a normally closed container having a metal shell, with a horizontal division Wall and a pair of opposed end Walls therein, a plurality of opposed doors hingedly mounted on the container bottom, mechanically actuated means for positively and releasably locking said doors, comprising a hub mounted on the top of said horizontal division wall, a short lever mounted on said hub, an actuating arm mounted on said hub adapted therethrough to operate said short lever, a connecting rod connected to the short lever, a latch-lever pivotally mounted on one of the end walls of the metal shell, pivot-ally attached to the said connecting rod, a door closing latch mounted onf one of the interior end walls in slidable connection with the lower` end of the latch-lever and means on the latter for normally holding the latch in locked position, and means on the doors adapted to engage the latch when said doors are in closed position, and springmeans on each of the door hinges for raising the doors from open to closed position Within the outline of the container, said locking means including yieldable means arranged to automatically actuate the latch-lever into a locking position with relation to the doors after the doors have been brought into a fully closed position.

3. In a mechanically actuated and operated bomb container, a normally closed container comprising `a metal shell, having a horizontal division Wall and a pair of end Walls thereon, within the container, a pair of opposed doors hinged on the bottoni of the container, mechanically actuated means for positively locking and releasably holding said doors in closed position, comprising a hub mounted on the top of the horizontal division wall, a short lever mounted on said hub, an actuating arm having an upstanding pin thereon mounted on said hub and adapted therethrough to actuate the short lever, a connecting rod connected to the short lever, -a latch-lever pivotally mounted on one of the end Walls of the metal shell, pivotally attached `to the said connecting rod, a door locking latch mounted on one of the interior end walls of the container in slidable connection with the lower end of the latch-lever, and means on the latter for normally holding the latch locked position, means on the doors adapted to engage the latch when said doors are in closed position, means for operating the aforesaid actuating arm through the upstanding pin thereon comprising, a vertical rod rotatably mounted on the aeroplane, an outwardly extending lbent arm rigidly mounted on said vertical rod, in operative but free and slida-ble connection with the upstanding pin on the said actuating arm, whereby the hub, the short arm, the connecting rod, the latch-lever and the locking latch are all operated to unlock said locking latch and release the doors of the container, and spring means on the hinges of each of the doors for automatically raising the doors to closed position after a load of bombs have been discharged from the container, and automatic means on the door locking and releasing means for relooking the door latch after the doors have been brought into closed position.

4. A device as in claim 3 in which the automatic door relooking latch means used comprises a stop angle mounted on the horizontal division Wall of the container, an annular stop on the connecting rod, and a spring mounted on said rod in engagement With said stop, and with the said stop angle, adapted to actuate the latchlever and push the door latch into a locked position beneath the doors on the container.

5. A door locking and releasing mechanism for a bomb container, comprising a pintle mounted within the container, a hub thereon, a connecting rod operatively connected With said hub, a latch-lever pivotally mounted within the container, pivotally attached to the connecting rod, a door latch mounted on the container, slidably engaged with the latch-lever, means for operating the said hub, to unlock the door latch, and automatic means on the connecting rod for operating the latch-lever and relooking the door latch, after the container doors have been brought into closed position.

6. A door locking and releasing mechanism as in claim 5 and means for operating the hub described therein comprising a revolvably mounted vertical rod, an outwardly extending bent arm rigidly mounted on the vertical rod, in operative but free slidable connection with the said pintle and hub of the container.

HARRY J. BIONDI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,305,214 Hussey et al 1 May 27, 1919 2,071,594 Trimbach Feb. 23, 1937 2,095,958 Allen Oct. 19, 1937 

